Seven Years
by westwingwolf
Summary: Jeff knows Annie didn't get that tape from Chang. Spoilers for Intro to Political Science.


Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: I had this idea and it just so happens that **eva_aftagrl** prompted the very same idea in the ficcy friday post at M/M, so I took that as a sign. Sadly, Annie doesn't say much in this fic.

Everyone assumed Annie got that audition tape from Chang, but Jeff knew better. He burned every copy he made once he wised up to the fact that just how embarrassing singing and dancing in the style of George Michael could be. So that left only two options. The likelihood that Annie could obtain a copy from MTV seemed unlikely. Not that he would put the ability passed her. It was just more likely the company wouldn't keep an audition tape from a decade ago. Annie's skilled Disney face and tears of doom wouldn't be able to compete. Barely.

So really, that left only one choice. With this in mind, Jeff knocked on the door of a woman he only visited on holidays and when she managed a good guilt trip.

Doreen Winger opened the door, surprised but happy to see her son. When he had called earlier in the week to learn of her plans for Saturday, she told him a visit was unnecessary because she was entertaining a guest for lunch. First clue he was on the right track.

"Hi mom," he said in sincere happiness before bending down to hug her. He looked behind her to her companion sitting on the sofa. "Hello Annie."

To her credit, Annie appeared only mildly surprised to note that Jeff did not find her presence confusing. She recovered quickly in order to respond in kind.

"Mom, when you mentioned your plans, you didn't mention that the friend that you invited over for lunch was my friend." His tone was nice, but he was not looking at his mother. Rather he stared Annie down, daring her to explain herself.

"Oh I'm sorry. I keep meaning to tell you that I've been meeting with Annie. But it always seems to slip my mind. I guess it is to be expected in my old age." She shook her head and shrugged.

Jeff didn't believe his mother for a second, but he knew better than to accuse her of lying or even lying by omission. Instead, he and Annie rushed to assure his mother that she wasn't too old.

"Thank you, dears. Let's see I've been meeting with Annie for over a year now. My God, is that right?" She asked Annie.

Annie smiled hesitantly, but Jeff couldn't contain his calm any longer. "Over a year? How is that even possible?"

"Well, about two years ago I called you. Imagine my surprise when instead of going straight to voice mail, Annie answered. She mentioned that the two of you were studying, and you had left your phone behind. I almost didn't believe her. I thought it would take an act of God to get you to forget your phone. But Annie assured me that you had forgotten due to all the stress of some debate you were preparing for."

Jeff couldn't believe his mother's timing. She always seemed to know when he had gotten himself into too much trouble. She had called him the night he lost his job, but he had managed to assure nothing had changed. But wait…

Jeff turned to his mother. "If you've been speaking to Annie all this time, then you knew…"

"That you were no longer a lawyer before you got around to telling me. Yes, I guess forgetting to disclose information runs in the family. Though, honestly Jeff, how stupid do you think I am to not know from the beginning that you never completed your Bachelor's?"

"Not stupid, just blissfully going along with my plan and not bothering to ask questions."

Doreen rolled her eyes and shared a smile with Annie. "Very well, then. I assume you'll be staying for lunch since when you called earlier you mentioned you had no plans for today." Well, that call had backfired on him.

He nodded, and so Doreen continued, "Great! You can help me in the kitchen."

Annie stood up, "I can help if…"

"Nonsense, dear, you are a guest. Despite his limited time here, Jeff knows his way around the kitchen enough to help. Feel free to watch some television."

Doreen pulled her son into the kitchen, and began taking out ingredients for sandwiches. Jeff went to the cupboard for plates and glasses. When she heard the sound of the television, Doreen turned to Jeff and spoke softly enough to not be heard in the living room. "Annie is a lovely, young woman."

Jeff gave a small nod and said, "Yes. She's a good friend."

"We've talked about her plans for the future. She has her career in health management all figured out. But she's also made plans for a family."

"Really." Jeff had always been good at knowing which questions to avoid when he suspected an answer from a witness would damage his case. However, just as he knew where his mother's comments were headed, he also knew he was helpless to stop them. His safest bet was to let her have her say, and then hope he could end the conversation with minimal embarrassment.

"She thinks in seven years she'll be settled in her career enough to start a family, so all she needs is a husband."

"Is that so?" When was his mother going to drop the bomb?

"I believe I can wait seven years for a grandchild." There it is.

"Mom, you do realize she's only twenty."

"And in seven years, she'll be twenty-seven. That's a very respectful age to start a family. Old enough to be prepared, but not so old that you are in your late thirties and leave your family wondering if you'll ever have children."

"I'm not in my late thirties!"

"No, you'll be forty in seven years, but like I said: I can wait as long as I know there is hope."

He was flabbergasted. He hated that feeling. And not just because he thought 'flabbergasted' was a silly word. "You know about our age difference?"

"I think the fact that I have been participating in this conversation proves I do."

"And you don't care?"

"Of course not. Besides, your father and I are the same age, and that didn't make a difference."

"There's a good reason then. I can't subject Annie to a guy like me. It's in my genes to run."

"Jeffrey Tobias Winger, you should know better than to use your father as an excuse. I've done a good job raising you haven't I…excluding your need to short cut your way to a job?"

He laughed before admitting that she had done well.

"Then half of your genes prove you'll be able to make a family work. And with Annie, I'm certain she won't let that other fifty percent get a chance to ruin anything." He had to admit she made a good point.

"Good, then you have seven years to secure me a grandchild. Of course, you'll need nine month before the baby is born so we should probably round that up to a year. And I think you should be married at least two years before starting a family. That way, you and Annie will have some time alone to enjoy marriage alone. Now, you probably won't need a long engagement, but planning a wedding does take time even for someone as organized at Annie, so let's give that a year just to be safe. I'd be crazy to think all of your hang-ups are gone because of this conversation, so let's say it will be two years into your relationship before you propose. That takes care of six years, leaving you one year to prove to Annie that you are ready for a responsible relationship." Doreen finished, glad she had left no stone unturned and no room for Jeff to argue.

"One year?" He thought over everything his mother had said. One year was not a long time, but it wasn't so short that it was impossible to do. The list of people he was unwilling to disappoint was very small, and his mother and Annie took the two top spots. A few years ago, he wouldn't have thought his mother would be joined by anyone on that list. Let alone be in danger of losing the top spot. "I think I can make that work."

"Wonderful! Now is a good time to start." She pushed him toward the living room.

Doreen Winger could definitely wait seven years. Perhaps less even.

The End


End file.
